A 50-year-old dad got carried away and reached an incredible speed in his son's super car on a dual carriageway when he drove it for the first time, a court heard yesterday.

Mohammed Riaz, 50, of Penerley Road, Catford, London, became the fastest driver ever caught in Gloucestershire when he was clocked on the A417 Gloucester-Cirencester road at Dartley Bottom, near Daglingworth on October 25 last year.

Three years ago a 19-year-old was caught at 141mph in his 2.0litre Vauxhall Astra at the same spot but Riaz's 167mph eclipses that - he was slowing down when he was clocked at that speed.

Mohammed Riaz who drove at 167mph on the A417 between Gloucester and Cirencester

Magistrates at Cheltenham heard he had taken over driving his son Abjar's white Nissan GT-R because Abjar felt ill during a trip to the Cotswolds to try to sell the high performance vehicle.

PC Sean Graham recorded the remarkable speed at 10.52am on Wednesday, October 25, said prosecutor, May Li.

Although the road was dry and the visibility was good, the driving was clearly dangerous due to speed, she said.

Riaz pleaded guilty to a charge of dangerous driving.

Many drivers have been caught speeding on the A417 at Dartley Bottom between Gloucester and Cirencester

Ms Li told the court there was no hard shoulder and only limited protection on the central reservation on that stretch of the road.

In PC Graham's opinion, a vehicle leaving the carriageway at that speed would have resulted in a 'catastrophic outcome,' she said.

The officer described it as a 'blatant disregard for the law and its enforcement.'

The prosecutor said: "The vehicle appeared to slow down to the initial recorded speed of 167mph. The officer said he could then hear the sound of the vehicle changing down through the gears and accelerating away rapidly."

A Nissan GTR similar to the one Mohammed Riaz was caught in at 167mph on the A417 in Gloucestershire

Defence solicitor Rebecca Foulkes said that Mr Riaz's was trying to sell the vehicle, and they had travelled from London together.

The intention was to return using public transport, but the sale did not go ahead, she said

Abjar Riaz then felt ill and his father offered to drive it back, Ms Foulkes added.

"He had never driven it before. His car is a Ford Focus. He is not used to driving a sports car, and hadn't appreciated how powerful it was." she told the court.

"He was shocked at how fast he was driving, and is grateful that there were no consequences. It was a moment of madness."

The court heard that Riaz's wife is in poor health. Ms Foulkes said: "An immediate custodial sentence will have a catastrophic effect."

She told the court that he was 'community minded man' who volunteers helping disabled people.

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Presiding magistrate Mike Stayte told Riaz the court was considering a custodial sentence.

But the court heard from probation officer Neil Hewitt that Riaz could be given an alternative sentence with unpaid work.

Mr Hewitt told the court that Riaz was 'devastated by the offence.'

"He recognises he could have killed himself or other road users," the officer said. "He says it will never happen again."

A new Nissan GT-R like the one Riaz was driving costs £82,000 and and reach 195mph according to the manufacturers.

Riaz was given a four month jail term suspended for eighteen and ordered to do 150 hours of unpaid work.

He was banned from driving for 18 months and ordered to pass an extended re-test before he could drive again.

He was also ordered to pay court costs and surcharges of £200.

We reported in September 2015 how a 19-year-old was caught on April 3, 2015 at 134mph by police. He was banned from driving for four months, fined £400 and told to pay £85 prosecution costs and a £40 victim surcharge.

Then, bench chairman Susan Pullen said: “In all the years I have sat on this bench I have not heard of a car going at that speed on a public road.

“You must have been aware you were going at that extreme speed.

“A tyre could have blown out, another vehicle could have pulled out on you – you may not have been here. It was a very, very excessive speed.”